What does Groundhog Day mean to you? For me, I think of having one day of my life repeated over and over and over again like Bill Murray in the 1993 comedy film, Groundhog Day. But, this year, I learned a few interesting facts about the holiday. Did you know…
• On February 2, Punxsutawney Phil, the groundhog, comes out of his burrow on Gobbler's Knob to predict the weather for the rest of winter. • Phil is the only true weather forecasting groundhog. The others are just imposters. • According to legend, if Punxsutawney Phil sees his shadow, there will be six more weeks of winter weather. If he does not see his shadow, there will be an early spring. • How often is Phil's prediction correct? 100 percent of the time, of course! • How many "Phils" have there been over the years? There has only been one Punxsutawney Phil. He has been making predictions for more than 120 years! • The celebration of Groundhog Day began with Pennsylvania's earliest settlers. They brought with them the legend of Candlemas Day, which states, "For as the sun shines on Candlemas Day, so far will the snow swirl in May..."
Of course, Southwest Airlines couldn't let a holiday go by without celebrating! We teamed up with Ty Inc. for the second year in a row to provide Customers traveling through Philadelphia International Airport and Pittsburgh International Airport on Friday, Feb. 1, with the 2008 edition of the Punxsutawney Phil Beanie Baby®. Punxsy is a replica of the famed Punxsutawney Phil who forecasts the length of winter each year!
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